Music City Legend Names 2009 Visual Designer

Music City Legend, the Mid-south’s only competitive, all-age drum and bugle corps, is pleased to announce that Mark A. Rider has joined the corps’ instructional staff as Visual Designer. This is the first time that the Nashville, Tennessee-based corps has acquired the services of an instructional staff member from outside of the Middle Tennessee area.

Rider’s visual design experience spans over 15 years and includes writing dozens of shows for drum corps, marching bands, winterguards, and indoor percussion ensembles. He was Visual Designer and Coordinator for the Capital Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps from Columbus, Ohio, in 2000-2002 during a time when they ascended from a Division III corps to Division II silver medallist and Open Class semi-finalists. Previously, he taught the 2-time BOA National Finalist Webster High School Marching Band from Webster, NY.

No stranger to the “all-age” drum corps community, Mark’s experience includes being a staff and marching member of the five-time World Champion Empire Statesmen from 1997-2000 and 2006 as well as being the Visual Designer and Instructor for the DCA Finalist Kingston (Ontario) Grenadiers in 2002. Mark was also a marching member of the Rochester Crusaders from 1993-94.

Mark attended the North Carolina School of the Arts as a Music Composition Major and is currently the Assistant Band Director, Show Coordinator, Visual Designer, and instructor for the six-time NYSFBC State Champion Victor High School Marching Blue Devils from Victor, NY. He has designed and taught Victor’s 2006 and 2007 Northeast Circuit SA-2 Champion winterguard and 2007 New York State Percussion Circuit SA State Champion Percussion Ensemble.

Rider currently resides in Victor, New York, with his wife Lesley and two daughters Claire and Lauren. He is employed by Getinge North America where he is the Technical Training and Communications Manager.

Music City Legend enters its fifth season of field competition in 2009 following two consecutive 11th-place finishes at the DCA World Championship in Rochester, New York. The corps continues to prepare for the 2009 DCA competitive season with most rehearsals held at La Vergne High School in La Vergne, Tennessee, east of Nashville. More information on the corps can be found online at www.musiccitylegend.org or call 615-691-1918.